Lighter



G. J. NICHOLS Feb. 21, 1950 LIGHTER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 16, 1946 s""""" n... nl...

BWM@ Q8 2.49m

' Feb. 21, 195o 'Filed Feb. 16, 194e G. J. NlcHLs y 2,498,178

LIGHTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvg/w05.

' George J., Nichols H/5` ATTORNEY G. .1. NICHOLS Felzjl, 195o.

LIGHTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledFeb. 16, 1946 /v VEN 70H om l0, MQ; QM mm w A` f S M M fu Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE i LIGHTER George J. Nichols, Gary, Ind. Application February 16, 1946, Serial No. 648,105y

l This invention relates to lighters; for example, cigarette and cigar lighters.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a cigarette lighter that will light a light automatically on opening the lighter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lighter having a novel arrangement in the bottom plate.

According to the principle of my invention, I have provided a lighter whereby, when a, catch is thumbed, the cover of the lighter will fly open and the usual wick will be lit, without further operation or manipulation.

Also, according to the principle of my invention, I have provided a lighter whereby it is not necessary to unscrew screws to open the lighter from the bottom, but, instead, I have provided a spring-held bottom which may be pulled down and swung around in a turn-table manner, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

Another object is the provision of such a device which will be relatively simple in manufacture and inexpensive in cos Further objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specications, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lighter of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the lighter.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of parts of the actuating mechanism in exploded relation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the revolving base.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cover catch mechanism in exploded relation.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section, showing the cover half open and showing the emission of sparks.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section through the lighter, showing the cover completely open, with the wick lighted.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which I have shown the preferred form for the purpose of illustrating the principle of my invention, I have shown a lighter III, having a casing Il.

The casing may be filled with cotton I2.

The lighter is shown having a cover I3, and revolving bottom I4.

K Inside the casing, there is shown a cylinder I5,

which may be soldered, or otherwise secured, to the inside top wall I6 and the inside bottom wall I1. l

I have shown a cover opener and int. holder I8, located in the cylinder' I5. y

. or brazed in place, as will 5 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

The cover opener is shown having an enlarged portion I9 and a reduced portion 20 secured thereto. f

Coiled around the reduced portion 20, I have shown a spring 2|, for` pushing the cover opener upward. l

This spring 2| bears against a Shoulder 13a on the enlarged portion I9 at one end, and against a ring enclosing the head of a screw 3| at the other end.

I have also provided ears 22 on the cover opener I8, and a flint wheel 23 may be mounted on a pin 23a, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The wheel 23 is shown having ratchet teeth 24.

The ilint wheel 23 is adapted to be actuated by an actuating disc 25, having anrarrn 26 inside the cover I3. f

The actuating disc may have an off-set 28, as shown in Fig. 4, adapted to successively engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel. Spring 29a located within stem 20 holds the pyrophoric alloy 30 against the serrated periphery of the abrading wheel 23.

The adjustable screw 3| is provided to position the reduced extension 20 relative to the cylinder I5. A ring is tted within the end of the cylinder I5 and encloses the head of the screw 3|.

I have also provided a wick 32, as will be manifest from Fig. 3, etc.

Also provided is a fluid inlet opening 33,

adapted to be closed by a screw plug 34.

A lid is provided, and secured to the casing by screws 36, which extend into lugs, soldered bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

Pivot pins 31 are mounted in the sides of the cover I3, and extend in opposite directions; and, are adapted to be freely held under the lid 35.

Also adapted to be mounted in the cover, is plate 38, as clearly shown in, Fig. 3.

rInstead of the plate, a cap or other means may be used. i

This plate, in the form shown, has a cut-out 39 for the top end of the wick, and another cutout 40 for a catch.

The cut-out 40 is arranged to leave a lip 4| for the catch 42 to catch upon.

The catch may be soldered or welded to a guide plate 43, having a thumb extension 44.

Also provided are cut-outs 45 in the guide plate 43, to permit it to reciprocate in the casing.

The thumb extension 44 `is adaptedl to extend through aout-out 46. f

Also provided is .a spring support plate .41,

as clearly shown in Fig. 6, having a pin 48 mounted therein.

Around the pin is adapted to be wound a tortional spring 49.

The upper bent portion B of the spring is adapted to engage a cut-out 5l in the guide plate 43, to normally press the guide plate one way.

The spring is also provided with a lower bend 52 which engages the top plate IE, for anchoring the spring to prevent 'its revolving.

As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the spring support plate 41 is laid on the inside top Wall I6, between walls 53 and 54, and is held in place by finger plate 43, which, in turn, is held down by the lid 35.

The revolving bottom plate I4 is shown having a key or step 56, to prevent revolution.

Mounted in the bottom plate is a post 58, lhaving a head 5S, adapted to be located in a cylinder 60 in the casing.

A spring 6I is adapted to keep the cover normally pulled tight yon `the casing. After inserting post 58 and spring El in cylinder 69, 'this cylinder is suitably secured to the bottom i1, as by soldering, and the stem Ymay be secured to plate 5l, as by a pressed it.

With regard to the operation, when the v'gnide plate 4'3 is thumbed on its finger extension ce, the catch 42, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, is moved from the lip 4I in the cover.

The spring 2l bears against the enlarged por'- tior'i 19, which pushes the pin 23d upwardly, forcing the 'cover 'i3 to pivot y'on pins B1.

As the pin 23a moves vertically upward, the pin 3l retains the cover on the casing.

The vonset v18 engages the ratchet teeth suoeessively on the ratchet `wheel at `the rate of six teeth v-per revolution, and forces 'the flint wheel to revolve against the flint, and send sparks to the Wick, which automatically lights the lighter.

It will be manifest that the 'lighting is aecomplished by the means whereby 'the actuating disc with its oir-set aetuates the 'flint wheel, in a clockwise manner., 'to 'throw sparks from the flint.

It 'will be understood that the arm '2b on the actuating disc is located in the top 'or the cover, as 'shown in 'Fig'. 7.

The actuating ydisc is actuated by the cover, in which the arm 525 i's positioned.

As has been indicated, when 'the cover is forced up, the arm 2B is 'forced up 'with it, and the 'actuating disc revolves on the ilint Wheel, with the oil-set 2'8 on the actuating disc 25 engaging an oil-set 2d in the Hint 'Wheel 23.

As has also been shown, the cover is automatically opened when the vcatch 142 is thumbed oil the llip ill, permitting the 'spring 2i to force the enlargement 'It upward, forcing the ears to bear against the pin 23a, to open the cover.

The pins 31 have been Vfreely mounted, as stated, in view of the liact that the movement of the spring and its associated parts is vertically upward, which is compensated by the 'freely mounted pins 31. 1

'While `Ihave illustrated and described the preerred for-m Aof construction or carrying .my invention into effect, lthis `is capable of variation and modification without `departing Afrom the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set tortie, :but desi-re to availmyself of such variation and modiiication's as come 'within the scope of the appended claims.

.Having thus described .my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a casing having a cover, a wick, a clevis in said casing, an abrading wheel journalled in said clevis, said abrading Wheel having lateral ratchet teeth thereon, a rod of pyrophoric material in said clevis resiliently urged into contact with the abrading wheel periphery, a Wick cover journalled in said clevis and having a trunnion engaging said cover, a pawl member journalled in said clevis and having an arm engaging said Wick cover, spring means urging said clevis upward, and a manually releasable lock holding said wick cover over the wick.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a casing having a cover, a Wick, a clevis in said casing, an abrading Wheel journalled in said clevis, said abrading Wheel having lateral ratchet teeth thereon, a rod of pyrophoric material in said clevis resiliently urged into contact with the abrading wheel periphery, a Wick cover journalled in said clevis and having a trunnion engaging said cover, a pawl member journalled in said clevis and having an arm engaging said wick cover, spring means urging said clevis upward, a latch plate slideable in said 'casing and having an operating extension, and a member on said Wick cover coacting with lsaid latch plate.

3. A device of the kind described, lthe combination of 'a casing having a cover, a Wick, a clevis in said casing, an abrading wheel journalled in said clevis, said abrading wheel having lateral ratchet teeth thereon, a rod of pyrophoric material in said clevis resiliently urged into contact with the abrading wheel periphery, a Wick cover jcur'nalled in said clevis and having a trunnion engaging said cover, a pawl member iournalled in said clevis 'and having an 'arm engaging said Wick cover, spring means urging said clevis upward, a latch plate slideable in said casing and having a latch member located to be enclosed in said Wick cover, an operating extension .for said latch plate, and a cooperating latch member carried by said Wick cover.

4. In a lighter including a noncircular casing having an inner bottom Wall spaced from the bottom edge thereof providing a vfuel receiving chamber, said wall being formed with a fluid inlet opening, a screw plug closing said opening, a tubular cylinder v'anchored Aat one end and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, va tubular cover actuator 'Within Asaid cylinder, a int mounted in said actuator, a spring biasing said flint, and a screw threaded into said tubular actuator through a hole in said bottom casing wall and adjustable to adjust the tension iof Isaid spring, the improvement consisting of a bottom plate normally engaging the bottom edge of 'the casing, a key carried by said plate engaging said casing to prevent relative lroation between said bottom plate and casing, said bottom plate carrying a stud shaft which .is received in a socket carried by said inner Wall, `and a spring encloslng :said shaft and biasing `the shaft to normally maintain said bottom plate against Vsaid edge with the key interlocking with the casing.

5. In a .lighter including Aa noncircular casing having an inner bottom wall spaced from the bottom edge thereof providing .a fuel receiving chamber, said wall being Vformed with a Aiuid inlet opening, a screw `plug closing said opening, a tubular cylinder anchored at one end and lextending upwardly from said bottom Wall, a tilbular cover actuator within :said cylinder', va niet mounted in said actuator, a spring biasing said iiint, and a screw threaded into said tubular actuator through a hole in said bottom casing wall and adjustable to adjust the tension of said spring, the improvement consisting of a cylinder upstanding from said inner bottom wall substantially at the center thereof, a piston slideable in said cylinder, a shaft anchored at one end to said piston and extending through a hole in said inner bottom wall, an expansion coil spring disl0 posed about said shaft and engaging the inner bottom Wall at one end and said poston at the other end, a bottom plate carried at the free end of said shaft and engaging the bottom edge of said casing in spaced relation to said inner wall, and a key mounted on the inner face of said bottom plate and engaging said casing to prevent relative rotation of said bottom plate and casing.

GEORGE J. NICHOLS.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Taylor Nov. 16, 1920 Greene June 25, 1929 Rubsamen June 3, 1930 Florman Apr. 11, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Mar. 16, 1934 Switzerland Nov. 2, 1942 Germany Mar. 11, 1921 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1936 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1943 Germany Apr. 30, 1938 France June 27, 1928 

